Illegal checked Home Office passes

An illegal immigrant was employed as a security guard at the Home Office, the government has admitted. The man worked at the front desk of the department's headquarters in Westminster checking the passes of people visiting Ms Smith, ministers and senior civil servants.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said problems were identified with one of the sub-contractors providing services to the Home Office. Deportation proceedings have now begun against the guard.

Ms Smith said that problems had been identified with one of the sub-contractors providing services to the Home Office. This led on Friday to the identification and arrest of one member of the sub-contractor's security staff who did not have the right to work.

The man is from Nigeria and had been working for the security company for more than 18 months.

"The Home Office is now working with the sub-contractor to recheck individually the right to work of all their security staff supplied to the Home Office," Ms Smith said.